@Shaddy: It's good to know that I'm not the only one. Thanks for letting me know this.

@bayu: I apologize for my attitude. It's probably not completely due to this game. Sometimes I have a hard time with other things in my life, for example, and it makes me doubt what I'm doing in general. Given my history with Malkovich games, I should realize this by now, but usually over the course of a game that lasts several days, my emotions go up and down. It's really weird playing such a long game. When I play a game online, I can sit down in one setting and finish the game. I usually wait until I'm in a good mindset if I want to play seriously. I can do that with Malkovich games, but over the over the course of several days, my mindset changes, and sometimes it's not that stable. The solution is probably to only play moves when I'm in a good mindset, but sometimes I'm anxious about the result. I want to see what will happen, after all!

Sometimes I also feel intimidated when strong players recognize and point out my poor play, and it makes me feel nervous to try. Practically speaking, I should take this as an opportunity to fix myself. Maybe ultimately, I'm too arrogant to do that, sometimes... So why am I arrogant? I don't know the answer to this question. Maybe it's because I'm already 29 and a good percentage of my life has passed, and ultimately I have a limited time living, and I will die eventually. It's good to be able to change yourself when you're wrong about something, and that's probably the way to improve. But then, what have I been doing for the last 5 years or so since I haven't improved since then?

I'm faced with the conclusion that I'm not going to be the best at this game, and I'm going to die, and I don't have enough time to conquer it... My life is passing by, and in the end...

What were we talking about, again?

Oh yeah, let's see if I can live in this moyo. I'll probably die, but I'll try to make it interesting for observers.

Black is strong all around, so this attacking move should be best. Let's have some fun!

Who knows what will happen? I'll probably die. But I want to play in a way that forces him to make decisions.

That way, based on his decisions, maybe I'll have a clue of what to do.

Dayuuuuum, Kirby is busting out the BIG guns! I wonder if he has the invasion all worked out already or if he's just winging it.

Although it's possible to hane at "b," I expect White to cut at "a." This way, White can try to sacrifice some of his stones to save other ones. I expect such a strategy to be successful as far as White making life or escaping into the center. However, the real question is how much of my original moyo I will get to keep. If I get something like a 50% then I'll be ahead, I think.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm35
$$ --------------------------------------
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . O . . . .|
$$ |. . . O X . . . . . . . . X X O O . .|
$$ |. . O X . X . . . , X . . . . X X . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a X . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . , . X . O . X O . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . . b . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . X . X . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . X O X . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . O O O . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

I thought about this for awhile, and it's still too early to know what will happen - black has several options in how to respond. So I pick this move, because it seems the most flexible and to leave white the most options... Let's see what he chooses to do.

My first reaction when seeing this position again after a long break is simply: WOW! The game position is the stuff dreams are made of when hoping to play Takemiya style. I should be significantly ahead currently in this game.

White did not complete the joseki in the top-right, and so may end up having to fight a ko there to live, if things go my way. White's current plan is, probably, to get a small wall on the 12th row and then to use the P16 cut to either settle his group on the right or, perhaps, get a favorable outcome in the corner (that is, get corner territory and have access into the center). However, I ought to be able to deal with White's plan well enough.

I barely remember this game, but I don't mind continuing. Thing are a little stressful in my personal life right now, so this is a nice distraction.

Interesting! It looks like Kirby wants to live on the edge instead of in the center. This should not turn out too well for him, though. I expect something like this to follow:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm42
$$ --------------------------------------
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . O . . . .|
$$ |. . . O X . . . . . . . . X X O O . .|
$$ |. . O X . X . . . , X . . . . X X . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 .|
$$ |. . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 7 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 5 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X 1 .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . , . X . O . X O . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 3 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 9 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . X . X . . . X . 0 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . X O X . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . O O O . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Wcm52
$$ --------------------------------------
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . O c . . . . . . . . a O . . . .|
$$ |. . . O X . . . . . . . . X X O O . .|
$$ |. . O X . X . . . , X . . . . X X b .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . X .|
$$ |. . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O 1|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . , . X . O . X O . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . X . X . . . X . X .|
$$ |. . . d . . . . . . X W X . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . W W W . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . W . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . e . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Next, I will choose between "a" or "b," either of which will likely require White to fight a ko in the corner. The advantage of "a" is that I can then nicely enlarge my moyo at the top by descending at "c" at some point. Meanwhile, the advantage of "b" is that I would have additional ko threats on the right side at my disposal.

After that, I might invade around "d" as one of my ko threats. If I'm allowed to make a few moves at the bottom-left uncontested, protecting the corner at "e" would put pressure against the White stones at the bottom.

Seems OK. This game is going to be like a time bomb. He's getting a lot of central power, and I keep getting points on the sides.

At some point, I probably dive into the center, and it becomes a game similar to what I played with DrStraw not too long ago.

Although he will live, Kirby seems to be making the game too easy and predictable for black. I would have played something a little more flexible and a little less certain, like this:

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm39
$$ --------------------------------------
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . O . . . .|
$$ |. . . O X . . . . . . . . X X O O . .|
$$ |. . O X . X . . . , X . . . . X X . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . O X . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . , . X . O . X O . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . X . X . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . X O X . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . O O O . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

...which leaves, among other possibilities, a play at 'a'.

No surprises this time.

Autopilot. Just playing for fun right now. Not good for improvement, but a fun way to relieve stress.

The order of moves may have been important. I expected White to push at S12. Now I need to consider if I can descend there myself, after which White would likely play one of the following moves.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm47
$$ --------------------------------------
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . O . . . .|
$$ |. . . O X . . . . . . . . X X O O . .|
$$ |. . O X . X . . . , X . . . . X X . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 1 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . , . X . O . X O a .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . X . X . . . X c b .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . X O X . . . d e .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . O O O . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Descending at S12 was possible, but I couldn't see how to respond to R5 such that the outcome would be better than what will happen in the game.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ --------------------------------------
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . O . . . .|
$$ |. . . O X . . . . . . . . X X O O . .|
$$ |. . O X . X . . . , X . . . . X X . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 1 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . , . X . O . X O . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . X . X . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . X O X . . . 2 . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . O O O . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Moreover, I've analyzed the corner situation in more depth, and I came up with some devious plans. In particular, I'm looking at the following.

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bc
$$ --------------------------------------
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . O . . . .|
$$ |. . . O X . . . . . . . . X X O O . .|
$$ |. . O X . X . . . , X . . . . X X . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 .|
$$ |. . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 6|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X 2 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . , . X . O . X O . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . X . X . . . X . 1 .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . X O X . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . O O O . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

Click Here To Show Diagram Code

[go]$$Bcm7
$$ --------------------------------------
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . 1 O . . a .|
$$ |. . . O X . . . . . . . . X X O O . .|
$$ |. . O X . X . . . , X . . . . X X 2 .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . O X . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 X .|
$$ |. . O . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O O|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O X O .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . , . X . O . X O . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . . . X O . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . X O .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . X . X . . . X . X .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . X O X . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . , . . . . . O O O . . . X . . .|
$$ |. . . O . . . . . . . . . O . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ |. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .|
$$ ---------------------------------------[/go]

is a dual-purpose move. Firstly, this move is Takemiya style: once the contours of a moyo become well defined, it is important to remove aji which the opponent might use to invade the moyo. After , Black becomes much thicker on the right, significantly reducing the threat from the White's Q11 and O10 stones. Secondly, should White tenuki after , I'm pretty sure that "a" kills the top-right corner.